Lapis Jewelry

Commonly known as lapis, lapis lazuli translated from Latin, literally means “stone azure.” It has been mined since the pre-dynastic Egyptian era. The most sought after stones are an intense blue with flecks of pyrite that illuminate the stone with a golden appearance. Our Janet Annenberg Hooker Hall of Geology, Gems and Minerals in our National Museum of Natural History includes lapis lazuli jewelry in its collection.